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Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Today is Outdoor Wednesday, and this week we're taking a cyber trip to Munich for Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest is the type of celebration that demands a little food be eaten before toasts are made and steins lifted. This recipe is one I learned to make in Hannie's kitchen years ago. Those who have followed One Perfect Bite from its beginnings know that Hannie is one of the special women who help to raise me and taught me how to cook. Follow the link above if you like to know more about her. Hannie made this soup for her husband, Max, on New Year's Day. He rarely drank but he was a New Year's Eve reveler. She was very disapproving and called this Max's hangover soup. Her displeasure led to much clattering and banging and a muttering that was definitely not soto voce. I could hear her across the hall. The soup is decidedly Germanic; it's an unusual potato soup that is redolent with bacon and onions. It's delicious and very easy to make. It ages well and is even tastier the following day.

Directions:Render bacon in a stockpot. Add carrots, celery, onions, parsley and marjoram. Saute until transparent. Stir in potatoes and toss to coat. Stir in flour. Add beef broth and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

Oktoberfest

These young gals standing along the parade route are tourists visiting Munich for Oktoberfest - the hobo bag gives them away. I hope they've eaten and done some research. There are more tourists than chairs in the festival beer halls and some planning is necessary. Munich hosts nearly 6 million visitors during Oktoberfest and the fair grounds currently have 14 large beer tents. I think you get the picture - reservations are advised. Oktoberfest is a 15 day festival that is held in Munich every year. It begins in September and ends on the first Sunday of October. Why September? The Bavarian winds are quite strong and can bring early snow down the mountains with them. Rather than chance the weather, organizers have opted to have the festival span the months of September and October. We're going to follow the parade to the fair grounds.

This view of the fairgrounds is taken from a gondola on a ferris wheel. Beer tents line either side of the fairway. .

One of the most interesting things about Oktoberfest, other than listening to folks who do not share a common language and whose bellies are full of beer still trying to sing in unison, is watching the waitresses carry the beer steins. Those steins are 1 liter each and made of heavy glass. The waitresses regularly carry 10 or 12 at a time!

Germany is a beautiful country brimming with gorgeous scenery, history, castles, monuments and wonderful people. Some of you may remember the words of the Drinking Song from the Student Prince. “Eine, Swie, Drie, Fier, lift your steins and drink your beer...drink drink drink....” No doubt about it, while all those other things are true, Oktoberfest is all about the beer.

This recipe is being linked to Outdoor Wednesday, an event sponsored by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.

Oh, Ms. Mary, my daughter would love this soup, she is eats anything potatoes! Aha, I am missing the marjoram in my soup! Everything about your Oktober Fest photos are great, and the beer mugs are HUGE! i have enjoyed the virtual tour!

Wow. That looks like a fun celebration. I will be visiting more often to check out your wonderful recipes. I love that they are good for you as I am trying to eat healthier. I also think I saw something about coconut in an earlier post ... yum yumI will be back!!Happy Belated Blue Monday.

Mary this is the first potato soup recipe that I have seen that isn't creamy, gooey white. It looks delicious. Octoberfest is such a big event yet one of my son's friends was standing in line for beer and ran into another friend of theirs also from Canada. Small world.

I copied this recipe down. It looks and sounds delicious. I LOVE to make soup in the winter at least 2X a week~we love it. This perfectly celebrates my German heritage.

I so love Oktoberfest. When I worked in downtown Chicago, there was a yearly celebration for the entire month in the Daley Plaza, across the street from my office. I loved to go on my lunch hour to try all the incredible food sold at the booths. Needless to say, the pastry booth was my favorite!!!

Thank you for the recipe and the information on the history of Oktoberfest!!

I love your soup and love Oktoberfest. I can only imagine how great it would to be in Munich during Oktoberfest. Our friends who normally have the Oktoberfest party at their home have moved to Germany for two years. We're going to miss them.Sam

Wow, I love this trip to Oktoberfest with you! I would not be able to cope with the crowds there in person, especially as I would have to pee every 15 minutes from the beer!Thanks also for the drinking song, I will have to remember that. Your photos are gorgeous. I love the hangover soup.

Oktoberfest is on our to do list. After seeing your pictures it has just reminded me that I need to get on with this quest!! Your pictures are lovely and your potato soup is only a few days away for it to make its way into our home. My husband is from german origin and I know he would love this as much as I would. Thanks!!

What a wonderful recipe. I must try it. I miss the time we lived in Germany. Great photos. I just noticed a picture just above your 'About Me' column and I am wondering if this is you? What a beautiful face...just someone you want to get to know better.

The soup looks great! I will have to make it soon :o) My husband and I are going to Germany ove Christmas this year to tour the Christmas Markets! We are so excited. I have a very German past and can't wait to take part in their culture!

I have been to Oktoberfest festivals here ... I can't imagine what it would be like to actually be in Germany! Maybe that will have to be the next trip!

The soup looks and sounds delicious and so easy to make! I'll add it to my repertoire.

I dream of going to Germany for Oktobertfest! I enjoy sampling different brews of beer. Lately wheat beers (Blue Moon) are my favorite.

PS: Yes, "Wall Drug" is still in South Dakota! We saw many signs along I 90...almost like the old Burma Shave ads. We did not have a chance to visit, but I looked it up online to see what we missed. :-)

Potato soup is something I love. I like it with leeks, with broccoli, with cheese, with bacon you name it I don't think I have ever ran across a potato soup that I didn't like. Your recipe sounds really good.

Thank your for your suggestion. I do think I have had the magazine before, quite some time ago. I will have to try it again.

This is one recipe I know I'm going to try - I LOVE potato soup. Also love the photos of Oktoberfest. That was also an annual ritual down in the part of Texas where I grew up - although we never worried about snow!

Thank you for generously sharing the soup recipe. It looks delicious. I do not particularly like to cook, but because of food allergies I do make most of what I eat. I like simple, and soups are something I actually enjoy cooking.

Hi, Your pics are wonderful. The soup looks delicious. I really appreciate this post . My father's family came to America from Bavaria in 1896. I have never been to Germany, but I would like to go.Thanks for stopping by.~Myrna

Well, I haven't been in Munich for the Oktoberfest - too many tourists.^^ But I can assure you it's not all about beer - it's also about spit roasted ox and suckling pig, about brezeln and radishes and white sausages and surely some apfelstrudel.

I stumbled across your blog only now and am firmly hooked. Your memories of Hannie are truly touching, and your introduction at the side of this blod reads like something my late grandmother would have said.

Thanks so much for posting, I will surely come back regularly in the future.

What a great photos. Oktoberfest looks like a blast. I loved the picture of the horses, they look so huge. The potato soup looks wonderful. Since I am a huge fan of soup I will have to try this one this fall. Have a fabulous weekend.

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